Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson delivers verdict on Sunderland win after two controversial decisions

Rovers went top of the Championship following Tuesday’s results, with Ben Brereton Diaz and defender Scott Wharton scoring the goals either side of half-time at Ewood Park.

After Wharton’s goal in the 49th minute, Sunderland saw more of the ball but struggled to test goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski.

And while Tomasson knows there is still a long way to go this season, he was pleased for the home supporters:

“In the end it doesn’t mean that much, but it’s still nice to see because it makes our supporters happy and satisfied, and it’s about making them happy and give them entertainment,” he said.

“We’re trying our best to do that, we will lose games of course, but looking at the performance, the way we played on the ball, it was a very tactical game and we kept focus really well.

“They were digging in hard because Sunderland are a good team.

“It was a tactical performance, the boys put in a high level of concentration.

“They worked hard for each other, for the team, for the Rovers fans and played some good football during the first half.

“Second half I was demanding that it could be better, of course those transition moments where we could kill the game totally, we should have taken one of those.”

Brereton Diaz’s excellent opener came 22 seconds after a Sunderland penalty appeal when Jack Clarke was brought down by Ryan Hedges.

There were also question marks over Blackburn’s second goal as Wharton appeared to be in an offside position when his glancing header beat Anthony Patterson.

Tomasson said he didn’t see the Clarke incident, and when discussing Brereton Diaz’s opener he said: “It was a brilliant finish, I was surprised, I would have loved to have scored a goal like Ben did.

“Scoring from a set play as well, and imagine if Ryan Hedges’ shot at the end of the game went in.

“It would have been goal of the season and given Sam Gallagher competition that he scored the other day.”